Wishful
by lotus-bugxm9
Summary: The Kazekage's birthday was coming up soon yet all poor Kankuro could think of was how in hell was he going to ask Gaara this important question!..Ugh. one-shot/Sand sibling fun


**Title: Wishful**

**Author: lotus-bugxm9**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.**

**A/N: **My third Naruko/Gaara story!! I love em to pieces. This is my first time attempting writing for the awesome Sand siblings!! So bare with me if they might be OOC!! but know that I did try my best. Lol.

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It was late afternoon in the Kazekage's office, its young leader lost in thoughts as he sat silently before the thrown up windows before him looking out over that of his village, shadows beginning to pace over the rooms walls and floor like images of a creeping play. The remaining rays of sunlight of the desert country still now warm with heat as they shone down on the teen's face, his red hot lava colored hair shimmering in hues in its dying light, wisps blowing up in the scorching air.

It was peaceful in the office, just like this those mint eyes, piercing through the sky to the distance, looking for something-perhaps-but, never finding it. Of course, such good things never lasted for long for Gaara. A loud bang of the room's main door resounded through the office, shoveling in none other than that of the Kazekage's older brother. Not turning around to look at him, Gaara, his Kage robes rustling in the continuing current, braced himself in preparation for whatever his brother had come to say.

Kankuro's smile widened at the sight of his sibling as he sat, all nice and quiet, in his chair his back half turned to him as he watched the redhead look out to the horizon, a little habit the puppeteer had picked up on of his brother's lately, along with others. Shoving his hands deep in his pockets and taking a quick look around now, as the the rainbows made through the glass now made the room glitter, the older boy noticed that which lay all around him.

Ha. No wonder he wasn't allowed in this room, he snickered, silently, to himself, spotting the miniature mountains of snack boxes here and there throughout the room in all different sizes, shapes, and colors.

"So how's the birthday boy doing, huh?" he called, outright.

If he was expecting a direct answer from Gaara, then he had another thing coming. But, it did not bother Kankuro much at all as he patiently waited, eying each and every thing he could get his gaze on in the room, his purple-lipped mouth slightly falling open in bewilderment at how many gifts and things there were. Then again, that must have been the luck of being the village's head leader as you got the spoils of war or-at least in this case-one's 17th birthday getting carried away and giving the villagers brownie points with the Kazekage!! It was funny.

"Well.,... " Finally, there came the response, that chair turning, slowly, towards the waiting company as Kankuro turned as well, welcomed by the site of his brother, those green, intuitive eyes of his-even after all this time-quit unnerving. "Thank you. But may I remind you again my birthday is not for two more days?" Thick, coal-lined eyes closed, gently.

"Yeah, well, that's how birthdays go," Kankuro chuckled with a nod, thinking about it as he gazed back to his sibling who continued to sit there, those arms crossed over his chest as it seemed he was still far, far away. "You get all crazed up for them and pow! There they are! Besides its nice to see what people are up to, sneaking all around and all um...er...yeah. Look at your growing pile of presents though man! Holy crap, Gaara!" He flailed his arms wildly at the stacks of presents around the room.

Taking the time now to take a better look, moving over to the very corner of the room, did Kankuro begin to peak at all the gifts stacked here and there, many of them taking up half of the whole portion of the Kazekage's office. He gave scoffing snorts at some of the names he saw written on the packages and gave some a smile and some a roll of his brown eyes. Something finally caught his attention as he reached out a curious hand.

"A teddy bear!??" he chuckled, picking up the plush-stuffed bear to hold it in both hands in front of him with raised eyebrows as he turned it this way and that, staring at its two, beady, black eyes and tam, curly hair. "Who in the world gave ya this?" He wondered out loud. Twirling the things in his hands now with a bored look and sniff.

For turning around now with a grin, to regard that of his barely out of papers little brother did Kankuro sniggering squeezing the bear in his hands pulling at its ears, was he now wavering it like a lasso above his head just for the for fun of it as he waited.

"Hello in there!" came a sudden, delighted holler.

Kankuro looked, sharply, to the door, along with Gaara in his seat, regarding his sibling with a particular look on his otherwise blank, handsome face. It was none other than their older sister barging into the room, carrying some more paperwork and a tray of tea. Smirking back at the both of them, placing the tray down, stacking the documents in the already larger than life pile on the redhead's desk, and placing a hand on her hip, Temari joined in on the fun.

"I see you found Uzumaki's present for our dear baby brother," she said, her blue eyes sparkling as Kankuro stopped his torture of the furry creature under his armpit, his eyes instantly going wide. "Isn't it cute!" She trilled.

"Are you saying Naruko gave him this!?" was Kankuro's shocked question, seconds later, as the puppeteer twitched and looked back down into the face of the teddy bear who looked back with an upturned nose and a smile saying, "I know something you don't know. Bah. "Wow...haha...um...that girl is one strange chick," he finally managed to say as he-with both of eyes now on his back did he walking over did he set the bear back nicely in its original spot on the couch with a "sorry" pat to its soft head.

How embarrassing. Now that he looked down to it, the bear seemed to glare back at him for the unfair abuse it had been put through. He was astonished to see the visible, fluffy, red bow and tag, around its neck. Sure enough, her name was written on it. Standing back up then, manly to shove both his hands deeply back into his pockets, clearing his throat, with one last critical glance to the bear was Kankuro turning away.

"She sent it to him by special delivery, along with the Hokage's help of course," Temari continued, smirk in place as she sat near the open window, legs crossed and arms much like her little brother's-crossed over her chest-suddenly letting out a small giggle. "But, of course, one should feel pity for that poor delivery hawk as the load was much more heavy due to the amount of different types of cup noodles she sent along for the ride. I'm surprised it didn't just give up and die." She tapped her foot.

"Yeah. Weird. But, Gaara doesn't like Ramen," Kankuro stated, picking his nose.

"Well we all know she does," Temari continued to laugh, shaking her head, blond hair picking up as she looked, fleetingly, out to the dying sunset. She turned back around, hands on the edge of the desk as she made a face. "Typical twerp! You know why she did it? Its to chow it all down once she gets back here. She's always complaining about our food being to spicy for her taste. I also think its a bribe to get Gaara here to start embracing her way of worshiping the ramen gods. Isn't that right Gaara?" she kidded, covering her mouth in sudden fits of chuckles.

The Kazekage said nothing to this though, in which Kankuro looked between the two, as if he was missing something. He cleared his voice, deciding to dive right in for he hadn't just come in here to chat for just any old reason.

"Well actually, you know, since we're already on the topic of Naruko, Gaara..." the sand shinobi began with somewhat of a nervous laugh, rubbing the back of his head with a smile as Temari's intuitive eyes quickly picked up on the change in attitude. "I was kinda wondering if..."His smile enlarged considerably, really catching both of his siblings' attention.

"What is it Kankuro?" Answered his curious sister instead.

"I wasn't asking you!" Came his instant fiery protest. Unbelievable. The blond, at this, quickly flicked on a puckering sour look as she stuck out her tongue, which only increased the twitching and narrowing of Kankuro's eyes as he let out a low growl. "But out Temari!" he finished, pointing a comical yet serious finger at her.

"Jeez, what's your problem anyway?" She bit back and, with a look on back to him, walked back up to the Kazekage's desk, picking up the empty tray and heading on out of the room with sassiness in her wake. "I'll be back in a while Gaara. And Kankuro? There better not be any presents missing. I counted all of them myself, got it? Trust me, I'll know if one of them's gone. And no more insulting that teddy bear!" She finished in a huff, leaving the room, large fan on her back.

"Sure thing, Sis," Kankuro muttered under his breath.

And, with that out of the way, he eagerly turned back to his little brother, the upcoming birthday boy himself. That smile was back on his face and he didn't smile a lot. But, it was certainly a hell of a lot more than this party pooper. He, however, was a bit crestfallen, practically falling flat when he noticed Gaara's attention was now no longer on him but, back to peering out to the fading orange sky and rapidly setting desert sun. He knew he was somehow all ears though.

"....Anyways, Gaara? I was just wondering..." he continued, voice low.

"Yes?" the Kazekage pondered.

"I know you and Uzumaki have a past together and well...." The taller, thicker teen began taking a seat on the edge of the giant, oak desk in front of him as his dark eyes, for a few moments, paused to gaze at the steaming, untouched cup of swirling tea sitting there. "With that and what went down in the Chunin exams, and later with...You know...coming back home and all...you two must be good friends by now right? As I would say, that goofy ass bear is proof enough, eh?" It wasn't really a question. He knew the truth but, still, he wanted the answer. Kankuro thought the Kazekage's attention still lacking as it was funny for he was all still there, and yet, he was as gone as the sandy winds.

"Friends...?" That gentle, somewhat scratchy sounding voice mused, momentarily. Gaara's liquid pools of jade turned back to that of the second oldest sibling in the family as he blinked, reaching out a hand now for that cooling cup of tea. "I suppose we are." He brought the cup to his lips, the crimson-haired Kage taking a sip of his and nursing the cup between his hands as he let out a soft breath.

"Sure. Yeah. I see. Well, good," Kankuro said, watching the young shinobi village leader for any suspicious signs this conversation would go down the drain with his next words.

Seeing nothing at all, his hands now in his lap, waiting, silently, for him to continue, Kankuro did just that. "Well, I-I didn't just want to pop it out at her when she gets here for your birthday pretty soon but, I was actually planing on...you know...on asking her out on a date. I've been meaning to for a long time now its just that...Whiskers-chan can hardly ever visit so, er...anyways..." He left it up in the air.

Wow. It was finally out. Kankuro let out a sigh at how the burden had almost been lifted off of his chest. He couldn't quite get why it was so hard for him to tell Gaara this but, as memories of his little brother and that goofball Naruko flashed past his eyes, he suddenly knew why. The last time the blond had visited with her group - no, it was more then that - the last they had visited, which had been just long enough to say hello and goodbye, was when those bastards in black cloaks had abducted his brother.

She and her friends from the village of Konoha had saved his village but, most importantly, Gaara and, for that, he was always going to have a great respect for Konoha and, most of all, her, for never giving up. The short time before she had left, instead of giving the recovering Kazekage a handshake of mutual friendship, which would signify the union of trust between the Sand and Leaf villages, she instead hugged him once on the shoulder with that unforgettable, big, knuckle-head grin of hers.

But, other than that, the thing that surprised most of them up until her leave, had been that her and his brother had been practically inseparable. She refused to leave his side. It was like the freaking polar opposite twin's revenge! It had been the connect at the hip deal and he, as well as a lot of the rest, had had a good laugh. Their friendship had grown closer over that chaotic, heat racing ordeal for Gaara, being the sand spirit's host and she being the one for the, um-crap what was it again? Whatever. The point was that they had each others backs for a while.

With that out and about, it wasn't until a few months later that she reappeared, looking somewhat down in the dumps. Even though the visit had been all of five minutes, she and Gaara had walked off to go who knew where to just talk non-stop.

He recalled pondering them, guessing, with a smile, at how good it was for his brother to finally have friends who understood him as he watched the two of them stand, side by side, and watch the setting sun lower behind the rocky cliffs around Suna. Even then, he couldn't have helped but guess the two of them had looked to be in their own little world together, a world where no one else would get them but themselves.

But, it had been a while since then. All the same, each time he saw the blond, everyone she was on terms with giving him a smile and a punch, he always felt knots of nervousness around her. It hadn't always been that way. The feelings Kankuro was starting to have toward the Uzumaki were nice feelings and all but no way was he just going to ask her out and have Gaara find out like that! They were freaking best friends! It would be awkward. Besides bros told bros things. End of story.

"I still fail to see why you are asking me such a question," Gaara's cool voice broke the puppeteer out of his reserve.

"Oh! Well its...you know, umm..." Kankuro jumped back in, laughing his total spaced out look off his face in a flash. It was time to get to the down and dirty part for coming this way. This was Gaara he was talking to. He was changed. He would hear him out for wasn't that part the Kazekage's job? Too listen? Yep! "Hell, she is one wacky girl - don't get me wrong - but man is she cute. Back then, I wouldn't have ever noticed her at all but, these last few, years...ever since she returned from her supposed training, she like morphed into a flower - excuse my poetry - and I can definitely see all the guys lining up for her now. Its just a matter of time." He sniffed again, shaking his head.

It was quiet. It was normally like this in the office, Kankuro thought with a small smile pulling at his lips. Sometimes he would catch the kid passed out straight over his paperwork in need of a good nap and sometimes, he'd spy him with those secret stashes of sweets under his desk. It seemed he had been gaining a sweet tooth. At the end of the day though, Gaara was still a teenager just not any normal one you had ever seen. Most of the time, he was the watchful, quiet, strong, true leader he really was but, above all of that, he was his little runt of a brother who he'd always look after.

"......A desert flower." Smooth whisper.

"What was that?" Kankuro asked, looking back up from his runaway thoughts once more. Man, was he having flashbacks today or what? Shaking his head once more, side to side, he whacked himself on the forehead."Didn't quite catch that..." which was very typical of him.

"Its nothing," the Kazekage, indifferently, cut off quickly, placing his cup of tea down on the desk as he pulling towards him did he pick back up his chilling, signing brush to dip it, lightly, back in the inkwell, his eyes now darkly, fixated on his endless duty of work. "So you're asking me permission to ask her out?" was his blunt question.

"You're not upset are you?" Oh hell....

"No. Why?" Eyes scanning parchment.

"Just wondering. That's a relief if you're not. I just had to ask you first since you're her friend," Kankuro sighed, mentally fanning himself off for now. Now that he thought about it, he realized it was definitely sweat he felt trickling down the side of his face! "Man, I am so wigged-out to be seeing her again. Its been a while now. I wonder how many new, bizarre techniques she's come up with, ya know? I still can't believe she sent you something so childish, an stupid, as a dumb teddy bear?" He chuckled, aiming a look back at that stuffed critter now as he quickly was looking away though. It somehow now feeling like it was boring holes into his soul! Crap! It had to be all the pressure!! Stupid girls.

"It holds meaning," Gaara spoke up after this, his brush pausing, momentarily, on the page of his latest signing, those haunting, green orbs briefly closing for a lingering blink before that brush resumed its work. "You wouldn't understand." The redhead softly supplied, hand moving across empty space.

"Huh? How's that?" Kankuro asked, shrugging and peering over the shorter boy's shoulder. Not really seeing anything amusing after a moment, he pulled back with a huff and rubbed at his head. "I swear, all the rumors I hear flowing over all the way from Konoha are that Naruko is getting friskier than normal, causing all kinds of trouble over there. I hear she and her team just got back from a recent mission," he began explaining.

"She's a shinobi of the Leaf," his little brother replied, turning to yet another page as fresh ink was poured and brush resoaked. Turning back, Kankuro had to wonder how in the hell Gaara put up with all these duties. He'd be mad by now! Guess that's why he wasn't the Kazekage. Figures. "She can do what she wants," Gaara said, brush smoothly flowing over to form letters of importance.

"Yeah, well, anyways," Kankuro sighed, picking at his ear as his purple lips pulled down, continuing to feel the sweat as it tickled the back of his neck and had him swallowing hard. "Leaks in info say she's all down in the dumps lately. That last mission was to find that missing ninja from their village, ya know? That little brat who thought he was better than everyone else. What's his name again? Huh...oh yeah! Uchiha Sasuke." He said the name with a detectable amount of bitterness.

Hell, the guy _had_, after all, beaten the crap out of Gaara during that Chunin exam final battle as it was. Even today, a memory forever burned in his mind but, then again, Gaara had gotten even...at a great cost. To think about it even made him think too much of the blonde, as she seemed to be in his mind now-a-days, constantly, every which way he thought or looked or spoke. Maybe he was smitten? That would explain his cheeks flushing now-a-days at her mention, though he refused to admit to it.

"Don't ever say that name out loud again," a very low voice called, suddenly. The puppet master, shocked by the way it sounded, sharply looking back up to that of the young Kazekage who looked no different than he had a moment ago. There was something different though. What was that- "...Kankuro..." Gaara trailed.

"W-hy? Got some voodoo on it or something?" the second oldest of the three sand siblings continued, his mind playing tricks on him for, he could have sworn there, just then, that look on his little brother's face had been...utterly broken... He must have been seeing things. "Hell, I have no idea why she would go along with her team to try and find that guy's sorry ass in the first place. A traitor's a traitor. They don't deserve any second chances. Why do think she does it? I mean, come to think of it - " He knew the redhead had an unhappy memory of that rotten kid but still!! He never got the chance to finish.

"She suffers for him because of him," Gaara began, that ink brush stopping at last as it was placed down, gently, on to the desk and, as Kankuro watched his brother, he suddenly noticed that he seemed very, very tired, as if the kid was overworked. "He was a close comrade who abandoned her, yet, she is the type of person that does not just give up lightly. She will continue to look for him no matter what. Despite what anyone says or does to convince her otherwise, she will keep trying. That is part of the suffering. To never let...go..."

Hands folding, the Kazekage resting his head on them, he closed his eyes, now in deep thought or meditation, Kankuro could not tell.

The elder thought about it. She must have been pretty hung up on this guy to go around chasing after him across everywhere. He just didn't get it but, then again, if he was in her shoes which he wasn't thank God he wasn't quite sure he wouldn't do the same if it was her in Uchiha's position. He could care less about that dick, wherever the hell he was but, it hurt him in turn to know Naruko was kicking herself constantly over him. It seemed Gaara himself was a little touchy about it too. Huh.

"Touchy today aren't we?" The words came out before he could stop them. Walking around to the desk's front, away from the window, Kankuro grinned as he watched his brother lower those hand to slowly open his eyes. He turned towards him, mutely. "Well, she is still just a little squirt...um...I mean, you're right. She can do whatever the hell she likes as long as she makes it back here in time for the celebrations. Sorry for getting off topic little bro but, seriously I'm..." Kankuro stammered, in need of getting his thoughts in check since there was still so much he wanted to know like, what he should do...shit...

"Knock, knock! Can I come in?" A voice called in suddenly and Kankuro spun around, wide-eyed, to stare back at that of his sister now who had just reappeared at the Kazekage's doorway with her hands full. "I have brought more documents that need looking over little brother." She explained barging in.

"Ah, Temari!" Kankuro stuttered, outraged.

For really. He had had this all planned out in his head. Even now, he kind of felt things weren't quite there yet for, it felt like he was missing something crucial, as if it was right there, staring at him but, he couldn't quite figure it out for the life of him. And now with here back....Man this had blown out of his hands. Just when things were looking up for him and his brother, something had to come and interrupt. How typical, he thought, crossly, with a sour look now adorning his painted face.

"What?" Came the blonde's tone as she came up before him and their brother who ignoring them, continuing on in his work insteadly as placing her hands on her hips, folders tucked underneath her arms, and narrowing her eyes at the puppet master did she continue. "Is something the matter, Kankuro? If there is, spill it already." she brisked raising a eyebrow in his direction as continued to frown at her in disbelief.

"I-I was talking here!" Was the instant protest since he hated it when she just walked in on him sometimes like that, it being an annoying habit of hers most of the time not all the time actually but still he hated it. "I was discussing something important with Gaara here and you just..!?" His fists balled up and shook.

"Yeah? So what." she scoffed, uncaringly.

Looking back at his sister then, Temari cocking her head to the side without blinking did she do the same. The sand ninja finally though gave it up for he couldn't handle one of her staring matches now! Sometimes, she was really as bad as Gaara. Damnit.

"Never mind. Forget it," he finally called, holding up his hands in surrender for he had much more important things on his mind to ponder than trying to figure these two guys out as it was hopeless. "Let's talk about this later. Okay little brother" He gave a small smile and, with a last salute to the Kazekage and a thumbs up to his now blinking, confused sister, did the puppet master leave the office in stride, closing the door, soundly behind him.

Stuffing his hands in his pockets as he walked down the stony halls now, he let out a heavy sigh, figuring he would just get through it on his own. He was smart. He would find a way out of his problem and get himself through this crisis. Ugh. Women.

"What was that about? He seemed-..." she continued, head tilted to the side to look at the door her brother had just left through, and then, quickly thinking better of it, the blond turned her attention back towards that desk. "I don't know." She gave a shrug.

"He was asking for a favor," the Kazekage answered, plainly as she took her cue and walked over, hand resting over the remainder of the new documents as she took the pile that was already dried and ready too deliver. "It was nothing to worry about Temari." Gaara softly assured her.

"Yeah, but...he seemed really nervous come to think of it." She bit her lip, reaching over to take the empty tea tray from before and its dishes. Picking them up, she gave the red-head a curious look with an arching eyebrow. "Anything I should know about?" she asked, evenly.

"Its not important," The redhead repeated in a cool replay, placing his brush down at last, lifting his green eyes to briefly give his sister a look before slowly turning back to face the open window as the sky outside was now indeed dark. "He was merely being talkative." he finished.

"And did you give any answers?" she nitpicked.

"...In his opinion," came the paused answer.

"So that's a no," She tsked.

After this, she craned her neck to get a better look at her sibling. All the blond got was a big pile of nothing for he was looking out to the night sky as well to see the moon beginning to shine down bright along with a few twinkling stars. Ready to, perhaps, open up her mouth and complain a little about the lack of information she knew she wasn't getting, she ended with a sigh in the end and chose to save it for later as it seemed tonight was going to be one of those nights.

With her fan strapped, securely, onto her back, with a signified nod of acceptance that this conversation had ended - the young Kazekage needing his rest - Temari began to head out. Maybe once this was over she would go get some food. However, when she got to the door, opening it just wide enough to let it creak, she turned back to look back to her little brother's silhouette in his turned chair as he continued to be as silent as the grave looking outside that window. She cleared her throat.

As tense as she sometimes made herself out to be in front of her brothers - not wanting to seem overly nosy in what they did and what they didn't - she knew when the time was right and when things got this sticky it was time for her to lend a little support.

"You know I don't know everything Gaara," she began, her blue eyes flashing as images began to come into view before her and, before long, a reluctant smile crept its way onto her lips as a certain beaming face came into mind. "But, despite what others think, or even Kankuro for that mater, there is still one thing I am absolutely certain about if we are in fact not talking at all about the one and only Uzumaki Naruko and her feelings..." She smiled, secretly.

Again, she was not dumb - unlike her foolish brother and his wishful thinking to see that there already was painted a great masterpiece, its two main compounds beautiful yet somehow not yet complete like a puzzle with missing pieces. She had known for a long while now about this little affair some were even properly willing to call nothing at all as they were young and knew nothing of life or even love for that matter.

Yet, they were all wrong. Her youngest brother might be a lot of things but, he most definitely did not slip when it came to the rules of the world. Above everything else, she knew love was never a misconception to him. It was definitely hard fought for, those demons still being alive within him and even within Naruko herself but, Temari knew for sure that what those two felt for each other, despite ghostly whisperers, was nothing more then a miracle.

"...And what's that?" Came the inquiry, moments later.

"That she loves you back, Gaara," She said with a shrug, forcing indifference now like only an older sister could for she didn't want to get to mushy here - god knows having her own problems in life to deal with but, again the world, lending a supporting hand, came to mind. "Don't let others stories affect you because she is who she is, being you, one of the only people around who has known what she has gone through, you should be smart enough be able to figure it all out. For remember Granny Chiyo's words little brother and hang on to them tightly. Never let go. You'll, see..." she trailed lowly.

She deserved more credit than she got for hanging out so much these days while traveling back and forth between Suna and Konoha. It was really starting to show its signs rubbing off on her. With a tsking at her own, insane thoughts, turning her back as she began to head out, muttering her complaints to those few people she knew were being not only a bad influence on her but, as well as both her brother and possibly the whole village, she was suddenly called to pause.

"Temari?" Came the caressing word.

"Hm?" she complied, blinking.

"Thank you," Gaara uttered up from where he sat, staring towards the desert stars.

She smiled. With that said, wanting to leave him to his thinking, the oldest of the sand siblings of the fourth Kazekage left the room with a confident stride to her walk, feeling like she had done her best in lifting some moods before she took off. Maybe now she could get some rest. Unfortunately though, that didn't look likely to come any time soon in the future. After all, there was a big birthday coming soon, one in which the whole village would soon be celebrating.

One in which too, she thought rather coyly with an escaping giggle, that would be sure to be leaving some speechless with the expected, clueless arrival of a certain, fiery blond in bright orange and black. Things were certainly starting to get exciting around Suna. Indeed.

**So how was it? Reviews would be lovely!!:3 **


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